“King’s solid research into alternative religious sects makes the desert commune feel like a real place, while her taut pacing insures that an air of menace hangs over the strange rituals that go on there. But the strongest appeal of the story lies in its superb characters, especially … [Anne Waverley], a mature woman who is both smart and courageous but flawed by an emotional need that puts her in grave danger. Just the kind of person to rescue the psychological suspense genre from its surfeit of perfect heroines.”
—New York Times